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Tropical Cyclone Winston

This cyclone struck Fiji as a Category 5 on 20th February. Winston inflicted extensive damage on many islands and killed 44 people. Nearly 25,000 homes were damaged or destroyed and approximately 350,000 people—roughly 40 percent of Fiji’s population—were significantly impacted by the storm.

I spoke to a hotel manager in Savusavu and she told me that they had 375 km winds and 2 ten metre tidal waves that hit one after the other. The cyclone that killed 100,000 people in the Philippines had winds of just 5 km more at 380 km/hr. Is that not the mercy of God? At each place and village we visited, I just stood back and thanked God. Not one person died in the Savusavu area. Only God !!!! Some houses we saw were shifted metres off their foundations by the waves, with people in them at the time.

On viewing first hand, the destruction of homes and the people hungry for food, NCTC collected money to buy food and goods to help. NCTC staff worked long hours to put 50 baskets together to give out and 133 boxes of food valued at over $60 each. 183 families now have rations for 2 weeks, thanks to the generousity of so many of the NCTC supporters.

NCTC has also put three roofs on three houses. Ana who is a widow, now has shelter from the weather. Moses who is a pastor, had his roof blown off in the cyclone, now has a new roof. A family of 8 who lost everything now is about to have a roof on thier make shift house. Now they will not get wet when it rains, until better help comes. Thanks to so many of the NCTC supporters.

NCTC Primary Children brought so many things for the victims of TC Winston in Nukubalavu and Savusavu, and they have so little. NCTC also collected 12 garbage bags of clothes. It was so touching. The children also helped load the NCTC van. You could feel the love of the kids reaching out to all the families who have lost so much.
We would like to take this opportunity to thank all of you who generously donated to NCTC TC Winston Appeal. If you haven’t as yet, we would love to hear from you, as there is still so much to be done, and it takes a lot of money to tackle a problem such as TC Winston. This is going to be on going for a long time to come.